LECOM Student Bridges the Gaps

Bridging the Gaps, a community service initiative designed to help health professionals and others make a difference in their communities, teamed up with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) and Barber National Institute for a seven week experience working with underserved and under-resourced populations.

The project at Barber National Institute entitled: Empathy in Action: a Holistic Approach to Disability Support and Community Engagement focused on the wellbeing of indidivuals with disabilities in a series of weekly activities. The project was developed by LECOM student intern was Faysal Abu-Samhan.

The project included an oral health presentation, meditation and spiritual wellness sessions, inclusive stretching, exercises and a cultural exchange on Middle Eastern traditions.

Resources created included a detailed poster on stretching exercises and materials for meditation techniques that Barber National Institute staff can reference and implement. 

"The Bridging the Gaps experience at Barber National Institute was transformative, profoundly shaping my professional and personal development. Working closely with individuals with disabilities, I learned the significance of creating inclusive and supportive environments. This project allowed me to develop and implement resources that directly enhanced the participants' wellbeing and engagement. My time at Barber National Institute has reinforced my dedication to advocating for individuals with disabilities, highlighting the importance of compassion and inclusivity in all health initiatives," said Abu-Samhan.

Bridging the Gaps is rooted in Philadelphia and brought to Erie by LECOM in 1995. It has been recognized locally and nationally by the City of Philadelphia, the PA Department of Health, the Senate of the Commonwealth of PA, the American Red Cross and other community-based and corporate entities.